Art of producing motion pictures



Sept. ll, 1923.

F. PEANO ART OF PRODUCING MOTION PICTURES Filed Maron 2. 1920 Pat-mee sept. 11, 1923.

UNITED STATES FELIX PEANO, 0F INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA.

ART OF IARODUCING MOTION PICTURES.

Application filed March 2, 1920. Serial No. 863,096.

To all wlwm it may concern.: y

Be it known that I, FELIX PEANO, a citizen of the United States, residing at Inglewood, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in the Art of Producing Motion Pictures, of which the following is a specification.

This invention comprises the production in connection with a scenic production, of a decorative frame projected on the screen around the scenic production, by the use of projectors; and in carrying out the invention said projectors are provided at the front with a revolving transparent spool of glass or other materiaLwith which is combined a thread adapted to be wound or given the appearance of being wound to indicate the thread of life in the play being projected in the usual manner on the screen; and to indicate the changes thereof as the play proceeds; said thread being wound spirally concentrically outside of the main scene upon the screen, thus to represent the aura of the conception represented in the scene, and, as in operatic creations, framing and holding the scenes of the past and the future of the play in one grand whole and representing turmoil by knottincss or sombreness of the thread and representing the calm and more beautiful parts by smoothness and pinkness of the thread and so that by varying and' changing the col/orsV according to the mood of the play there will bel ultimately formed a complete aura about the portion of screen upon, which the scenic part of the projection appears. Y

An object is to produce a antomime visual creation in parallel wit the harmonic creation in operas; color being considered of great help and indispensable for the'tonality, continuity and beautiful quality of the complete production.

A feature of this invention is the presentation throughout the play, of fate; be it an angel or satan or any other allegorie figure in the act of paying out a line, thread, tape, or rope as the case may be with the appearance of the fate either as standing still or as moving in unison with the line or thread, etc., as the play proceeds.

object is to provide attractive 'means whereby during the progress of the play projected on the screen, the character of the plot may be indicated, and emphasized from beginning to end of the play without detracting from the scenic production; and at the same time indicating the progress of the play in its different moods.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention may appear from the accompany- 'ing drawing, the subjoineddetail description and the appended claims.

The accompanying drawing illustrates the invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective and somewhat diagrammatic view of apparatus appropriate to the carrying out of my invention.

Fig, 2 is an enlarged perspective axial section of mechanism for projecting the threadof life or its counterpart onto the screen,

shown iIi Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view of an allegorieal projection showing the border thread greatly exaggerated.

The screen l may be of any ordinary character mounted in position to receive the l projection from the projectors a, b, and c.v

A motion projector a of any suitable character provided with an expanding and con-I tracting diaphragm is adapted to project an annular allegorical portion 3 on the border of the main scene 4 which is projected from the motion picture pro'ector c. The projecting machine b is provided with mechanical means 5 adapted to project light through a transparent winding thread or filament 6 which maybeocelluloid or other transparent or translucent material through which the light may shine to produce a sinuous image 7 in the form of a border around the scenic production 4. Said mechanical means may comprise a spool 8 mounted on a spindle 9 from which the thread 6 is led to a transparent spool having two narrow flanges 10 and 11 with a narrow chamber -12 between them to receive the thread 6 which may be passed through a hole 13 and fas tened as by the knot 14:. Said spool is'journaled on the projector b byvmeans of thel tongues 15 that may be of any suitable number as three or more disposed around the periphery of the spool which periphery is provided with a bead 16 with which said tongue cooperates to retain the spool on a roller 17 fixed on a rotary spindle 18 that is rotated by a pulley 19, thus .driving the roller 17 and through it, the spool; thereby allowing 'variations in the border and enabling a various sized border to be produced an opaque center to avoid illumination of\.g

the center of screen when the main scene 4; is projected.

In Fig; 3 the figure shown at 21 is fastened to the end of a line 2() to indicate that the operator may use such an. appliance by dangling it inthe light at a climax of the play so that its image may be projected on the screen.

It is thus seen that I employ the spool having the transparent flanges 10, 11, to modify the light rays projected upon the screen.

. I claim:

j 1. In the motion picture art; a screen; a machine adapted to project motion pictures on the screen; a second projecting machine, a s ool mounted on said second machine; sai spool having an opaque center and adapted to receive movable means outside said center to produce a variable border around pictures projected on said screen by said icture projecting machine.

2. n the screen art the combination of a screen and a motion picture projecting machine adapted to project motion pictures on .flanges arrange the screen; a projecting machine adapted to project on the screen a pictorial border surroundin the portion of the screen onto which t e motion picture is projected; a spool journalled on said border projector having an opaque center and transparent flanges; said spool being adapted to receive means between said flanges to produce said border; and means whereby said spool is rotated for the purposes set forth.

3. In the motion picture art; a screen; a machine adapted to project motion pictures on the screen; a second projecting machine adapted to project a border around the scenic projection on the screen, means rotatable relative to the second projector; and means cooperating with said rotatable means whereby a various sized border can be produced without interrupting the projected motion pictures.

4.-. In the motion' picture art; the combination with a projecting machine of a spool having an opa ue center and transparent to modify the light rays projected upon the screen by the projector.

5. The combination with a projector of a spool having a transparent portion through which the light rays are projected from said projector and means whereby a thread is Wound on said spool to modify the light rays projected onto the screen.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 25th day of February, 1920.

FELIX PEANO.

Witness: v

'JAMns R. ToWNsEND. 

